Reporter: Miyoshi Price
•9/2/2026
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (WINK) — A major expansion of Interstate 75 is moving forward through Lee and Collier counties, with the Florida Department of Transportation planning improvements along a 21-mile stretch from north of Golden Gate Parkway to south of Alico Road.
FDOT says the project is intended to increase capacity, improve traffic flow and enhance safety as Southwest Florida continues to grow.
The project is part of the state's Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative. Proposed improvements include additional lanes in both directions, including express and auxiliary lanes, ramp modifications at key interchanges, resurfacing and a new diverging diamond interchange at Immokalee Road.
FDOT Construction Manager Alex Ruiz said the project also includes approximately 16 miles of noise walls.
"We're going to be building express lanes, two express lanes from Golden Gate to Corkscrew, then we're building auxiliary lanes, or the ones that go from exit to exit," Ruiz said. "We're doing a diverging diamond interchange at Immokalee Road. We repave the whole section. We're adding 16 miles of noise walls."
Ruiz said the project represents an investment of more than $600 million.
FDOT says congestion relief is one of the primary goals of the project.
Ruiz said transportation officials have looked at this corridor before, but Southwest Florida's rapid population growth — particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic — created a need to revisit plans for I-75.
"This region is growing exponentially, and so we're just right now addressing, you know, the current needs as well as the future needs in terms of planning," Ruiz said.
The project had previously been slated for 2030 or later, according to Ruiz, but was moved forward through the Moving Florida Forward initiative.
Some people who attended FDOT's public informational meeting welcomed the proposed changes.
Vincent Iannuzzi uses I-75 regularly for work and trips to the airport. He said backups near interchanges such as Immokalee Road and Corkscrew Road show why changes are needed.
"They need a better, better system, better flow, and what they're proposing really will do that," Iannuzzi said.
Iannuzzi said he initially had reservations about diverging diamond interchanges but has become more optimistic after seeing how they operate.
"I was really skeptical at first, but now I can see it working pretty good," he said.
He also raised questions about the length of auxiliary lanes used by drivers entering the interstate. Iannuzzi said project representatives assured him that longer lanes are included in the plan. "Just driving like to the airport or to work, I'm on the highway all the time. Whether it's you know Lee County, more so Collier though, the interchange on exit 101 is going to make a huge difference too."
While some residents support widening I-75, people living close to the interstate say they want FDOT to consider what additional lanes and traffic could mean for their neighborhoods.
Bob Brown lives in Village Walk of Naples, a community that runs parallel to I-75 near Vanderbilt Beach Road.
Brown said his community already has a sound barrier, but he is concerned the proposed noise-wall configuration does not extend far enough to protect portions of Village Walk.
"As it is now, you can hear the noise," Brown said.
Brown said he is particularly concerned that new barriers planned on the opposite side of I-75 could affect how sound travels toward his community. He wants the existing barrier extended toward Vanderbilt Beach Road.
Despite those concerns, Brown does not oppose expanding I-75.
"I do agree that they should extend the roadway to make it wider, but they gotta be smart about it," Brown said. "Give us the same extension noise barriers that they did on extension 105 going to Marco."
Brown said interstate noise is already noticeable during the morning and evening rush hours and worries it could become worse as traffic increases.
Another resident, Richard Holmes, lives in Cypress Woods near I-75. He also supports getting the work done but wants adequate protection from highway noise.
"The sooner, the better," Holmes said about completing the project.
But when it comes to the number of lanes, Holmes said his priority is straightforward.
"I don't care if it's 10 or 20 lanes, as long as they block the sound off," Holmes said.
Ruiz said noise walls were the number one concern he heard from people during the public informational meeting.
FDOT's current proposal includes approximately 16 miles of noise walls at qualifying locations throughout the corridor, with many connecting to existing walls.
Ruiz said the locations are determined through a noise study that follows federal guidelines. However, he said that process is not yet complete.
"The study hasn't been finalized yet, so there's still room for some changes," Ruiz said.
Ruiz said questions from residents about why their communities are or are not receiving noise walls are being taken into consideration as FDOT finalizes the study.
Along with noise, Ruiz said people asked questions about the diverging diamond interchange planned for Immokalee Road and how the overall project will reduce congestion.
Ruiz said construction is expected to begin in late fall 2026.
The final construction schedule is still being evaluated, but Ruiz said the project is expected to take approximately four years to complete.
That means drivers and people living along the 21-mile corridor could be dealing with construction for several years before seeing the finished product.
FDOT held in-person public meetings Aug. 31 at Estero Community Park in Lee County and Sept. 1 at North Collier Regional Park in Collier County.
People who missed those meetings still have an opportunity to hear directly from the project team.
FDOT will hold a virtual public meeting Wednesday, Sept. 2, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. through Microsoft Teams.
FDOT says the virtual meeting will present the same information as the two in-person meetings, including proposed improvements and qualifying noise-wall locations. Participants will also be able to submit questions to the project team.
Ruiz also said FDOT is planning a public hearing in early October, where a more finalized version of the project is expected to be presented and the public will have another opportunity to voice opinions.
People do not have to attend a meeting to ask questions or submit feedback. FDOT's project webpage includes a form where residents can submit a comment or question directly to the project team.
